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Overcoming Self Consciousness

This has probably been answered before but I started Geocaching about this time last year and only found 3 caches before I got to the point where I would get out of my car, circle around a while and then chicken out because I was too nervous to go looking closer.

I am not a shy person by nature but recently I seem to get really self conscious snooping around town looking behind benches or fences etc. probably because I am the kind of person who notices when *other* people are acting "suspiciously". I am fine in the woods away from eyes but in town or along highways I seem to freeze up.

Has anyone else started out feeling like this and gotten over it? Maybe I am too paranoid about what others are thinking when they look at me?

I don't think what you are feeling is unusual. Many of us do on different levels. For me, it is usually when I feel the cache may have been placed without those nearby knowing about it. It is always a good thing for these urban caches to state in the description that permission has been granted.

General passersby do not bother me as much. I make a quick assumption about anyone watching me and back off or go ahead and get the cache anyway depending on what I think.

I much prefer the thought that a fox or bear or deer is lurking in the woods watching me go by. Animals are much more predictable than humans!

Heh, I recall one cache we were trying to find downtown portland, with lots of people around. We knew where the cache was but were having a hard time tryin to get it out of it's hiding spot without giving it away. So I did the most reasonable thing I could think of. I leaned over the gaurdrail and pretended I was throwing up, quite loudly. Nobody questioned a thing... and we got the cache without giving up it's spot.

Usually I'm out in the open with people if they come up to me and ask what I'm doing. Explain the whole caching thing. But in some cases there's a lot of people nearby and you can't explain to them all, most probably wouldn't care. But you don't want to give up the cache either. When I'm in a spot where I feel uncomfortable like that, I just move on, there's plenty other caches to be had.

When looking under a bench, try tying your shoe or do push-ups!
If someone looks at you holding your GPSr, just put it up to your ear and pretend it's a phone, or you could pretend it's a camera! Pretend your taking a picture of the guy who's looking at you and he'll turn away!
Dress in camo and put camo grease paint on your face! No one will be able to spot you.
Ask dubord207. He has lots more ideas! Like telling people you are taking sizmonic readings of the earth....or something like that!

Most of the time , it seems to me , if you look like your supposed to be there and look like you know what your doing, most people dont think much of it. you could be a bolt inspector for the city they dont know.
Pretend your 007! maybe you will get miss moneypenny to sit on your lap...no kev it wont work for you!

Hey! Dont forget to submit your suggestions for the Ammo Can! It's your newsletter. Help to make it wonderful!! P.S. I apologize now for the typos and misspellings in my post.

A few more ideas

First of all, your feelings are not uncommon. People that know me know I'm not shy at all but when I first started caching I frequently felt self conscious.

Fast forward a couple thousand caches. I'm in downtown Lisbon at about noon. Ms. Toastmaster has hidden a nano under a bench in the middle of things. I drive by and there's a person sitting on the bench. No problem, I'll wait....at least for a couple of minutes. Nope, the guy starts reading a book! Sheesh!

Ok, time to get proactive. I walk over, tell the guy I think I lost a contact lense there earlier in the day, get on the ground, lying on my back, find the nano and now I have to sign the thing! So I get out my phone, hit speed dial to my office and start talking with one of my secretaries....and signing the log, rolling it up and replacing. The guy makes one comment...."Hey, you're a busy guy huh?" and away I go.

So that's the extreme but I've told people I was checking for reported radiation in the area, "taken" a lot of pictures and of course while in the country we men folk can act like we're on a nature call.

But seriously, you'll get more comfortable playing the game and there will come a time where you'll either be asked what you're up to or you'll see the need to explain it. I've explained it to a lot of folks, written down the website and even invited people to email if they're seriously interested in taking up the game. I agree fully with brdad that you'll will also face some situations where you have to wonder why somebody placed a cache in a spot that's way too close to a home or anything that offends your sense of respect for property owner's rights. In those situations, move along and maybe log a DNF indicating you were uncomfortable with the placement. Happens all the time.

If I'm out looking for a cache near a trail and someone comes along I've often told people I'm a surveyor looking for a boundry marker. That has never failed. Keeps me from feeling conspicuous or "nervous" about being seen.

I might take a slightly different approach to caching. I see it as an adventure. From the most hated, and should be banned nano's, to the 5 gallon pails on the side of the road. I approach each cache as a mission Each cache was hidden. That means it is a secret to all except a few special agents. The finding is to be done with having not to answer questions. If you are spotted you have failed miserably, compromising the entire endeavor. My approach is stealthily. Awareness of the surroundings is tantamount. Muggles must be dealt with in a subtle manor. City, busy caches are to be done in the dead of night, in the cool dark fog. No muggles, no worries. Scare the crap out of the cops and next time they see you they wont even slow down while going by.

Come to think of it I have only been confronted a couple of times by cops, but they know my vehicle and wanted into what ever action I was up to. I usually tell them a ghost story or ask them if they saw the aliens or Bigfoot. They give up real quick. Although I was accosted by the Holden Fire Chief today. I smacked him and before he could get up I was in my van and on my way.

I'd be happy to take you out on an expedition or two and I'm sure your anxiety will be much lessened. Like anything else, experience makes you tuffer. Really a couple days with me caching and nothing will ever bother you again.

If someone looks at you holding your GPSr, just put it up to your ear and pretend it's a phone, or you could pretend it's a camera! Pretend your taking a picture of the guy who's looking at you and he'll turn away!

Sheesh! Goods ideas, but many times we've had people see us with our GPSr, and come up to us asking "are you geocachers"? That's when it gets good...

Yes, I had someone ask me that in Bath a few weeks ago when we were looking around downtown," are you geocaching" and when he found out the answer was yes, he went to his car and got his GPS and wanted to know what the co-ords were. He was a seasoned cacher. Myself, if there are people lurking, and you could not remove the cache without people possibly investigating it after you leave, I generally come another time so that the hide won't be compromised. On Main Street Bath, that would be never or midnight:-) so you have to be stealthy. I did not feel self consious like you mentioned and hopefully you will get over that after a while and it may seem more fun!